14:47 Chepstow

Saturday 9 December 2023

All11:5512:2713:0213:3714:1214:4715:2015:50

Coral Presents 'Big Evs' On YouTube Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 14:48 | Winning time: 5m 4.7s

Isaac Des Obeaux¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Angus Cheleda⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| CD

5/4

Looked a good prospect when making a winning debut in a bumper here last November and proved a different proposition to in the choppier waters of a Cheltenham novice when bolting up over C&D just over 2 weeks ago. Likely to keep improving for some time so holds major claims.

Form: 137-61

Gentleman³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: R Patrick| T: C Boultbee-Brooks

80/1

50/1, didn't show much when ninth of 16 in bumper at this track on debut last month. Outsider switched to hurdles.

Form: 9

Haiti Couleurs⁷²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Ben Jones| T: Miss R Curtis

9/1

£68,000 5-y-o, Dragon Dancer gelding. Closely related to fair French 2½m chase winner Suavamente. Dam French bumper winner. Made frame both starts in Irish points, runner-up latest (Dec 2021).

Form: 42/

Highway One O Four²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon

33/1

Better effort in bumpers 11 months apart at Plumpton on return, forced wide for effort but holding second for most of straight. Well held on both starts in novice hurdles and will be of more interest in handicaps after this.

Form: 0-303

Jongleur D'etoiles³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: N P Mulholland

125/1

Failed to meet expectations on sole bumper outing and well held both starts over hurdles subsequently. Likely type for low-grade handicaps.

Form: 678

Katate Dori^t⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Adam Wedge| T: S Thomas

6/5

Confirmed previous promise in bumpers when off the mark at the third attempt (8/13) at Market Rasen (16.6f, soft) in March. In need of experience when well beaten at Cheltenham on hurdling debut just over 6 weeks ago but may well have derived plenty from that.

Form: 421-8

Largy Valley²⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Lily Pinchin| T: C E Longsdon

40/1

Overcame definite greenness to make a winning debut in Ayr bumper (2m) last November for Stuart Crawford. Well beaten for new yard at Hereford 4 months on, though, but not one to discount sent hurdling after 8 months off.

Form: P16-

Meraki Mist⁴⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Simon Earle

150/1

Minor promise in a couple of bumpers but could hardly of shown anything less on hurdles debut here last October. Can only be watched.

Form: 8/5P-

Parliament³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan

125/1

Fair winner on Flat in France in 2022 but off for 512 days prior to finishing down the field on his Warwick hurdle debut 32 days ago. Entitled to come on for the outing.

Form: 0

Ri Na Cuirte¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Ben Clarke

33/1

Finished runner-up on the second of 2 starts in Irish points and shaped with some encouragement when fifth of 15 in a course maiden (19.4f) on Rules debut. Failed to take a step forward at Wincanton recently so he looks an easy enough swerve.

Form: 62-56

Village Master²⁰⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Paul O'Brien| T: W Greatrex

10/1

£65,000 4-y-o, Mastercraftsman gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including fairly useful hurdler/very smart chaser Bun Doran and useful hurdler/smart chaser Shantou Village. Placed on second of 2 starts in Irish points (May 14) and he rates an interesting hurdles newcomer.

Form: 52

Non-Runners

The Jukebox Man²⁷

Weight: 11-9| Age: 5

T: B Pauling J: Kielan Woods

Ballynaheer³¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 4

T: David Dennis J: Stan Sheppard

Can't Say⁶²²

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: C J Down J: James Davies

Storming Nelson²⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 4

T: Mrs S Gardner J: Lucy Gardner

Forecasts

Katate Dori (6/5), Isaac Des Obeaux (5/4), The Jukebox Man (9/4), Haiti Couleurs (9/1), Village Master (10/1), Ballynaheer (25/1), Ri Na Cuirte (33/1), Highway One O Four (33/1), Largy Valley (40/1), Can't Say (50/1), Gentleman (80/1), Storming Nelson (100/1), Jongleur D'etoiles (125/1), Parliament (125/1), Meraki Mist (150/1)

ISAAC DES OBEAUX didn't need to come off the bridle when scoring over C&D just over a fortnight ago, and with further progress almost assured, Paul Nicholls' 5-y-o gets the nod over The Jukebox Man, who was an impressive winner stepped up in trip on his hurdling debut at Ffos Las last month. Katate Dori and hurdling-debutant Village Master are a couple others certainly worth a mention, too.